Florida Women’s Funding Alliance, an affinity group of Florida Philanthropic Network, commissions Institute for Women’s Policy Research to Study Women’s Status in the State

Naples, Florida, February 9, 2016 – In response to Florida’s D+ rating on the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) 2015 report, the Florida Women’s Funding Alliance (FWFA) is commissioning a groundbreaking study of women in Florida by county. FWFA, an affinity group of Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN), will look deeper into key areas – population and diversity, poverty and opportunity, health and well-being, and employment and earnings – to develop actionable policy recommendations to shift that D+ to an A for Florida women.

“This research and analysis will position Florida Women’s Funding Alliance to identify and prioritize issues needing strategic advocacy,” said FPN Interim President & CEO Bill Hoffman. “In addition, funders serving at the county, region or state level will use this series of reports to target solutions in their respective service areas. The reports will establish baseline information to track progress over time and give an overview of how women from various populations groups fare, including women of color, young women, older women, immigrant women and women living with a same-sex partner.”

FWFA will present information on the Status of Women in Florida by County project at FPN’s 2016 Statewide Summit on Philanthropy in St. Petersburg on Thursday, February 25. Members of the affinity group will underwrite the project.

“In addition to the state-wide impact of this project, every foundation with local or regional focus will have access to accurate facts on the status of women in Florida,” said Brenda Tate, Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida President and Florida Women’s Funding Alliance Co-Chair. “In Southwest Florida we will have current county data on women for Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades Counties as the reports are released. The reports will inform our investments in women and girls of Southwest Florida.”

Current FWFA members include:

Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida
Community Foundation for Northeast Florida’s Women’s Giving Alliance
Lovelight Foundation
Community Foundation for Ocala Marion County
Joseph H. and Florence A. Roblee Foundation
Community Foundation of Collier County’s Women’s Initiative Network
Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Women’s Foundation of Palm Beach County
Community Foundation of South Lake County
Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade

The goals of the Status of Women in Florida by County project are: 1) to analyze and disseminate information about women’s progress in achieving rights and opportunities; 2) to identify and measure the remaining barriers to equality; and 3) to provide baseline measures for monitoring women’s progress. The data presented in Status of Women in Florida by County will serve as a resource for advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders who seek to develop community investments, programs and public policies that can lead to positive changes for women and their families. The first report in the series will be released in fall 2016.

About Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida

The Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida Is the only non-profit in Southwest Florida focused exclusively on women and girls and was the first to publish academic research assessing the status of women in the five county region. Signature programs include #StopSellingOurKids, Kiva Zip Mico-Loan Program and PopUp SWFL. The Board of Directors will build a $5 million endowed organization dedicated to the advancement of women and girls in Southwest Florida by 2020. With this sustained funding source, the Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida will make significant and sustainable investments in collaborative partnerships, create and fund innovative solutions to complex problems and deliver measurable impact. The Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida welcomes financial contributions to support key initiatives at www.FundWomenFL.org or via email contact@FundWomenFL.org. Follow the Women’s Foundation online at http://facebook.com/womensfundfl and on http://twitter.com/womensfundfl.

About Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) conducts rigorous research and disseminates its findings to address the needs of women, promote public dialogue, and strengthen families, communities, and societies. The Institute’s research strives to give voice to the needs of women from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds across the income spectrum and to ensure that their perspectives enter the public debate on ending discrimination and inequality, improving opportunity, and increasing economic security for women and families. The Institute works with policymakers, scholars, and public interest groups to design, execute, and disseminate research and to build a diverse network of individuals and organizations that conduct and use women-oriented policy research. IWPR’s work is supported by foundation grants, government grants and contracts, donations from individuals, and contributions from organizations and corporations. IWPR is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that also works in affiliation with the women’s studies and public policy and public administration programs at The George Washington University. See more at: http://www.iwpr.org

About Florida Women’s Funding AllianceFlorida Women’s Funding Alliance (FWFA), an affinity group of Florida Philanthropic Network (FPN), envisions a Florida where women and girls thrive. The FWFA mission is to transform the lives of women and girls through members’ collective voices and resources. FWFA offers FPN members an opportunity to interact and connect with other staff and board members of foundations and other grantmaking organizations working to transform the lives of women and girls in Florida.

About Florida Philanthropic NetworkFlorida Philanthropic Network is a statewide membership network of nearly 120 philanthropic organizations working to build philanthropy to build a better Florida. FPN’s members are private independent, corporate and family foundations, community foundations, public charity grantmakers and corporate giving programs – from Miami to Jacksonville; Naples to Pensacola – who hold over $6.5 billion in assets and invest over $435 million annually (excluding members located outside Florida) to improve the quality of life for our citizens. FPN members share a commitment to promoting philanthropy, fostering collaboration and advancing public policy by Florida, in Florida.

The Status of Women in the States
provides data on women’s progress in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States overall. The data can be used
to raise awareness, improve policies, and promote women’s equality.